Just goes to show that most fans just don't see Defence beyond blocks and steals. Double A was playing tough as nails man D on PP the whole 4th q. Truth is known to be a late game player and when he started to look for his AA was right in his grill and wasn't bailing him out with fouls. Ross, God love him, is still a rook. We all know that a vet like Pierce is going to destroy any rookie in the crunch and the refs are not going to favour Ross at all.

As promising as Ross is he still has a long way to go on both ends. Tonight was one of his invisible nights at both ends. Anderson is way ahead of him. On the ball, off, helping, closing out, rotating, all of it.

+1.

It's like everyone forgot that AA has been one of our best and most consistent players through the season. He, and Amir are our best man on man defenders game in and game out. He's been struggling on offense the last couple of games, but his D has still been good.

Kyle Lowry- He really stepped it up in the 3rd quarter Lets see if it carries over to the next game.

Andrea Bargnani- Surprisingly he seemed engaged defensively and he played terrific help defense which doesn't happen often. Also, Dre had a terrific first half but seemed to be a bit gassed as the game finished. As he continues to get his legs back I'm excited to see if he can keep up the energy.

Gay and DeRozan- These two are proving to be a very potent duo on the offensive end.

Negatives:

Dwayne Casey- He has cost us several games this year due to his questionable substitution patterns and his play calling has been really bad. His lack of experience as a head coach is evident and is very worrying.

John Lucas- As a backup PG, JL3 did a poor job of running a team and his shot selection is just awful. He is one of the biggest liabilities on the floor and we need to pick up a legit backup pg who knows his role.

Allan Anderson- Can't stand that he is stealing minutes away from Terrence Ross. He hasn't showed us fans any reason as to why he deserves to keep getting minutes. He's a bench player who thinks he's a first option on offense.

It's like everyone forgot that AA has been one of our best and most consistent players through the season. He, and Amir are our best man on man defenders game in and game out. He's been struggling on offense the last couple of games, but his D has still been good.

I agree 100%

At the same time, that's totally negated by the way he plays offense. When you're on with Gay, Lowry, Demar, even Amir, you should not be looking to take a contested shot.

He is incapable of becoming the fifth option on the team, or a facilitator. When he gets the ball, he shoots, he's not that good....so what the stop that the other team gets as a result of his ridiculous shot selection negates whatever we just did as a team defensively.

if he would just play defense, and shoot when he's open (ala bruce bowen) he will be fine. But I'm not sure if he can adjust

We have serious rotation problems, and this is something which we couldn't really judge casey on last year for a bunch of reasons.

If you look at any championship team, playoff team, or even any functioning organization in any industry...there has to be a hierarchy. This is not debatable.

I can pick any team, but a good/easy example is OKC. Westbrook basically does whatever he wants on the court and clearly believes that he should be granted immunity as far as bad shots or any other bad decisions as the point guard of the team. But, because he is a top 10 player in the league he is actually allowed to do this on a nightly basis, so long as the team is winning. It doesn't matter how good Sefelosha, or Ibaka is feeling that night, they do not get to go up in the hierarchy. They stick to what they do defensively, and Westbrook does what he does.

BUT at the end of the game, or even during the game, if Durant wants the ball, he gets the ball. Westbrook won't say anything. Everyone knows he is a top two player on the planet and that not only is he the better player, but that the Team is better off if Durant takes the shot. If Westbrook does get to take it...it has to be ok with Durant first.

The problem with our team is that we need a 9 man rotation and DC is killing us with the inconsistent messages he is sending. It makes NO SENSE to start a guy like aaron gray, or at least give him more minutes than JVAL. It makes even less sense to play anderson over Ross.

so:
JVAL, Bargs, Amir, Gay, Derozan, Lowry, Ross, Lucas (by default as a backup pg) and Fields should be the ones playing every night, no questions asked.

By playing anyone else, he is sending mixed messages to the guys that should be playing.

Most importantly, by mixing up the rotations and allowing guys like anderson to take 10 shots a game, he is not allowing us to maintain a hierarchy where we actually have some consistency on a nightly basis.

I know it's early, but this has been a problem all season (cough cough starting mcguire) and he needs to settle on a rotation and move on

I think Lucas has a place in the NBA, but not necessarily as a primary backup point guard. The Raps need to bring in a guy who can actually run an offense and use Lucas as a floating guard who can come in based on matchups.

I still think Anderson has no place in the NBA. He's a solid guy when you look at him from game to game, but similar to someone like Smush Parker, when you look at the total body of work you realize he's actually quite bad and ended up doing a lot more harm than good.

We have serious rotation problems, and this is something which we couldn't really judge casey on last year for a bunch of reasons.

If you look at any championship team, playoff team, or even any functioning organization in any industry...there has to be a hierarchy. This is not debatable.

I can pick any team, but a good/easy example is OKC. Westbrook basically does whatever he wants on the court and clearly believes that he should be granted immunity as far as bad shots or any other bad decisions as the point guard of the team. But, because he is a top 10 player in the league he is actually allowed to do this on a nightly basis, so long as the team is winning. It doesn't matter how good Sefelosha, or Ibaka is feeling that night, they do not get to go up in the hierarchy. They stick to what they do defensively, and Westbrook does what he does.

BUT at the end of the game, or even during the game, if Durant wants the ball, he gets the ball. Westbrook won't say anything. Everyone knows he is a top two player on the planet and that not only is he the better player, but that the Team is better off if Durant takes the shot. If Westbrook does get to take it...it has to be ok with Durant first.

The problem with our team is that we need a 9 man rotation and DC is killing us with the inconsistent messages he is sending. It makes NO SENSE to start a guy like aaron gray, or at least give him more minutes than JVAL. It makes even less sense to play anderson over Ross.

so:
JVAL, Bargs, Amir, Gay, Derozan, Lowry, Ross, Lucas (by default as a backup pg) and Fields should be the ones playing every night, no questions asked.

By playing anyone else, he is sending mixed messages to the guys that should be playing.

Most importantly, by mixing up the rotations and allowing guys like anderson to take 10 shots a game, he is not allowing us to maintain a hierarchy where we actually have some consistency on a nightly basis.

I know it's early, but this has been a problem all season (cough cough starting mcguire) and he needs to settle on a rotation and move on

Only thing I can think of is that he's putting a line up out there of veterans as opposed to rookies to give the team the best chance to win. Both JV and Ross have talent, but they tend to make a lot of mistakes out there. I think you'll see a lot more JV and Ross, once playoffs are out of the question and there is nothing more to gain out of this season than experience for the rookies.

AA is now shooting 36% from the field. His TS% is <50%, and yet his usage is 24%. While he's on the floor he takes 37% of the team's 3's, and 25% of all shot attempts. He still seems to think that he needs to shoot his way out of his slump, even when he is playing with 4 better offensive options. I can understand playing him some for defensive match-ups, but he should be yanked as soon as he decides to go one-on-five or take ill-advised 3's. I think that his defence is being overshadowed by bad offensive possessions that he squanders.

AA is now shooting 36% from the field. His TS% is <50%, and yet his usage is 24%. While he's on the floor he takes 37% of the team's 3's, and 25% of all shot attempts. He still seems to think that he needs to shoot his way out of his slump, even when he is playing with 4 better offensive options. I can understand playing him some for defensive match-ups, but he should be yanked as soon as he decides to go one-on-five or take ill-advised 3's. I think that his defence is being overshadowed by bad offensive possessions that he squanders.

You can't just yank guys in and out of the lineup all the time. First it messes with a players confidence. Secondly, it's likely to alienate vets who will definitely tune a coach out if you screw with them too much. Players are creatures of habit and messing up those habits often does more harm than good. Finally, yanking a guy not only disrupts his flow but the flow of the units that train everyday to play with him. It's not as simple as plug and play. Why yank AA for his offence when the guy you'd replace him with, Ross, wasn't helping on offence OR defence? In a lineup with Lowry, Gay and Demar AA's defence is critical while his offence is an added bonus but not absolutely necessary.

I do think AA has some questionable shot selection and a bit of Mike James in him but there's a reason he's making the minimum and he's far more valuable than his contract.

I don't get guys defending AA's D last night. Pierce missed a bunch of shots he normally makes last night. Our D was awful, and AA's was not very good. Pierce was 2-11...He only had 11 field goal attempts because he struggled to get anything off against Gay whenever he was matched against him. The rest of the time....I was shocked at some of the open looks Pierce missed. This game could've been much uglier if he and the rest of the Celtics just knocked down some totally wide open looks.

Ive been saying for weeks and months that this AA thing is going to end badly. And here we are.

I agree with some of the posters that AA brings solid D .. but he needs to STOP SHOOTING. And, he hasnt been "on a cold streak". Hes been a brutal shooter the whole year .. hovering around 33-38%. Not good by any measure.

T Ross at 5 mins is a COMPLETE joke. JV almost as bad. Sure, we are a little better with Gay .. but the only way this team succeeds is for Ross and JV to develop ..

You can't just yank guys in and out of the lineup all the time. First it messes with a players confidence. Secondly, it's likely to alienate vets who will definitely tune a coach out if you screw with them too much. Players are creatures of habit and messing up those habits often does more harm than good. Finally, yanking a guy not only disrupts his flow but the flow of the units that train everyday to play with him. It's not as simple as plug and play. Why yank AA for his offence when the guy you'd replace him with, Ross, wasn't helping on offence OR defence? In a lineup with Lowry, Gay and Demar AA's defence is critical while his offence is an added bonus but not absolutely necessary.

I do think AA has some questionable shot selection and a bit of Mike James in him but there's a reason he's making the minimum and he's far more valuable than his contract.

Winning teams have (at the most) a 9 man rotation.

You have your starters, main scorer/matchup problem off the bench, and the rest of the guys are there only because the others need a rest. That's basketball.

I'm saying that if anderson gets into a game, he is part of the last 3 that are only in their to give the other guys rest, and it really doesn't matter what his confidence is like because the success of our team does not hinge on whether or not he is confident.

this is exactly the point that I am trying to make.

and if he doesn't like it? who cares! there are a million alan andersons in the league. Get another one who knows his role.

Ive been saying for weeks and months that this AA thing is going to end badly. And here we are.

I agree with some of the posters that AA brings solid D .. but he needs to STOP SHOOTING. And, he hasnt been "on a cold streak". Hes been a brutal shooter the whole year .. hovering around 33-38%. Not good by any measure.

T Ross at 5 mins is a COMPLETE joke. JV almost as bad. Sure, we are a little better with Gay .. but the only way this team succeeds is for Ross and JV to develop ..

My guess is JV retakes his starting spot before the end of the season.

As for Anderson, I think the problem is he was a big part of when the Raps were winning games. He had to take a bunch of shots b/c there was no else that could. He was making a lot of those stupid shots he's been taking lately. He's got to learn to step back now and be more of a spot up shooter. And he is a decent defender BTW. Not great but good.

But yeah, i don't think it will stick. Prob have Fields and Ross get more minutes pretty soon.

It would be somewhat difficult....

We have serious rotation problems, and this is something which we couldn't really judge casey on last year for a bunch of reasons.

If you look at any championship team, playoff team, or even any functioning organization in any industry...there has to be a hierarchy. This is not debatable.

I can pick any team, but a good/easy example is OKC. Westbrook basically does whatever he wants on the court and clearly believes that he should be granted immunity as far as bad shots or any other bad decisions as the point guard of the team. But, because he is a top 10 player in the league he is actually allowed to do this on a nightly basis, so long as the team is winning. It doesn't matter how good Sefelosha, or Ibaka is feeling that night, they do not get to go up in the hierarchy. They stick to what they do defensively, and Westbrook does what he does.

BUT at the end of the game, or even during the game, if Durant wants the ball, he gets the ball. Westbrook won't say anything. Everyone knows he is a top two player on the planet and that not only is he the better player, but that the Team is better off if Durant takes the shot. If Westbrook does get to take it...it has to be ok with Durant first.

The problem with our team is that we need a 9 man rotation and DC is killing us with the inconsistent messages he is sending. It makes NO SENSE to start a guy like aaron gray, or at least give him more minutes than JVAL. It makes even less sense to play anderson over Ross.

so:
JVAL, Bargs, Amir, Gay, Derozan, Lowry, Ross, Lucas (by default as a backup pg) and Fields should be the ones playing every night, no questions asked.

By playing anyone else, he is sending mixed messages to the guys that should be playing.

Most importantly, by mixing up the rotations and allowing guys like anderson to take 10 shots a game, he is not allowing us to maintain a hierarchy where we actually have some consistency on a nightly basis.

I know it's early, but this has been a problem all season (cough cough starting mcguire) and he needs to settle on a rotation and move on

How exactly was Casey supposed to define a rotation with injuries to JVal, AB, Fields, Lowry, Pietrus, Kleiza, and the trade of Calderon and Davis? A bit difficult if not impossible. In addition if a line up wasn't working, sticking to it for the sake of player's psyches doesn't amount to a winning strategy in my opinion. I see Casey straddling the line of wins vs. young player development, and that's a franchise decision that needs to be made and moved forward with.

As far as hierarchies go, Durant does not 'want the ball' and 'get the ball' .... he receives the ball inside an offensive system that is built around his number of shots per game, that his teammates understand and buy into. If he's triple-teamed all game, the hierarchy doesn't mean shit ... he's not getting it, and there are other players able to score in his stead.

I will agree that the Raps need a defined rotation, but I see them moving towards that in the right way.

Anderson was on because your boy Derozan couldn't guard an 83 year-old, let alone Paul Pierce. As minks77 has suggested,

Just goes to show that most fans just don't see Defence beyond blocks and steals. Double A was playing tough as nails man D on PP the whole 4th q. Truth is known to be a late game player and when he started to look for his AA was right in his grill and wasn't bailing him out with fouls.

He's right...

Anderson didn't do shit. I'm not defending demar at all, he let courtney lee drive past him multiple times, his defense was shit. I don't know what defence your talking about on PP, i didn't see anything good from anderson last night. Ross needs to get more minutes off the bench.